Clippers' James Harden hits scoring milestone during Lakers clash
01/20/2025 12:43 AM
James Harden continues to be one of the best scorers in the NBA, and he continues to rise in the ranks of league history.
Going into Sunday’s game between the Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers, Harden had 26,700 career points. This put him at 15th on the all-time scoring list, behind NBA legend Oscar Robertson’s 26,710 points.
Harden was successful in the objective of passing Robertson to move up to 14th for the most career points in NBA history. In 40 minutes of action, he finished with a double-double of 21 points and 12 assists on 9-of-17 shooting from the field and 4-of-9 from beyond the arc.
How James Harden, Clippers beat Lakers
James Harden and the Clippers were successful in beating their Lakers counterparts, winning 116-102.
The Clippers took a 64-49 lead at halftime, showcasing high-quality shot selection with an accuracy of 57.8%. Despite the Lakers’ efforts, they were unable to make a rally against their in-state rivals in terms of generating more shots to go through the basket.
By game’s end, the Clippers made 47 total shots while the Lakers converted just 38. Norman Powell scored a team-high 22 points, Ivica Zubac put up a double-double of 21 points and 19 rebounds, and Kawhi Leonard had 19 points.
They improve to 24-17 overall and extend their win streak to four, entering the midpoint of the 2024-25 campaign. They remain fifth in the Western Conference standings, trailing the Houston Rockets by 2.5 games for the second spot.
At age 35, Harden continues to be highly productive throughout his second season as a Clipper. He is averaging 21.4 points, eight assists, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. His shot efficiency has taken a dip, shooting 39.8% from the field and 34.6% from three.
The team has notably shined on the defensive side of the ball. They currently have the third-best scoring defense this year, only allowing 106.6 points per game. Their defensive rating of 108.1 is also worth noting, ranking third among all 30 teams.
The Clippers are hosting four more games at home, playing the Chicago Bulls on Monday at 10:30 p.m. ET, Boston Celtics on Jan. 22, Washington Wizards on Jan. 23, and Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 25.
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